Blessing Throats on the Feast of St. Blaise

Unfortunately, what is known about the life of St. Blaise derives from various traditions. His feast day is celebrated in the East on Feb. 11 and in the West on Feb. 3 (although it was observed on Feb. 15 until the 11th century). All sources agree that St. Blaise was the of Sebaste in Armenia who suffered martyrdom under Licinius about A.D. 316. (Remember that Emperor Constantine had legalized the practice of in 313, but Licinius, his ally and co-emperor who had concurred in legalizing Christianity, betrayed him and began persecuting the Church. Constantine defeated Licinius in 324.) From here, we rely on the tradition which has been associated with our liturgical celebrations over the centuries, which does not necessarily preempt their veracity or accuracy. In accord with various traditions, St. Blaise was born to rich and noble parents, and received a Chris- tian education. He was a physician before being consecrated a bishop at a young age. Although such a statement seems terse, keep in mind that at that time the local community usually nominated a man to be a bishop based on his outstanding holiness and leadership qualities; he in turn was then exam- ined and consecrated by other with the approval of the Holy Father. Therefore, St. Blaise must have been a great witness of our Faith, to say the least. During the persecution of Licinius, St. Blaise, receiving some divine command, moved from the town, and lived as a hermit in a cave. Wild animals visited, and he healed any that were sick and wounded. One day, a group of hunters gathering wild beasts for the game in the amphitheater discov- ered St. Blaise and seized him. As he was being taken to the governor Agricolaus, the governor of and Lesser Armenia, St. Blaise encountered a woman whose pig was being seized by a wolf; St. Blaise commanded the wolf to release the pig, and it was freed unhurt. While in prison, he miraculously cured a small boy who was choking to death on a fishbone lodged in his throat. Also, the woman whose pig had been saved brought St. Blaise candles so that his cell would have light and he could read the sacred Scriptures. Eventually, Agricolaus condemned St. Blaise for upholding his Christian faith rather than apostatiz- ing. He was tortured with the iron comb (an instrument designed for combing wool but was used here for shredding the skin) and finally beheaded. By the sixth century, St. Blaise's intercession was invoked for diseases of the throat in the East. As early as the eighth century, records attest to the veneration of St. Blaise in Europe, and he became one of the most popular saints in the spiritual life of the . Many altars were dedicated to his honor, and even the Abbey of St. Blaise in southern Germany claimed to have some of his relics. One reason for St. Blaise's popularity arose from the fact he was a physician who cured, even per- forming miraculous cures. Thereby, those who were sick, especially with throat ailments, invoked his intercession. Eventually the custom of the blessing of throats arose, whereby the priest held two crossed candles over the heads of the faithful or touched their throats with them while he invoked the prayer of the saint and imparted God's blessing. In our present Roman Ritual, the priest prays, "Through the intercession of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat and from every other illness, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." This practice continues in many parishes on St. Blaise's feast day. The Blessing of the Throat The blessing of the throat is carried out using two white taper candles that are blessed. The white color of the can- dles symbolizes purity. Often, a red ribbon will be draped over the base of the candles, the red symbolizing the martyrdom of St. Blaise. The candles are grasped in an X-shape and held up to the throat of the person receiving the blessing

"Through the intercession of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat and from every other illness, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." After the blessing you might want to say AMEN as one meaning of that is ‘thus it is so.’ Bible Study Tuesdays 4pm-5:15pm at Balsam Lake Want to hear Jesus? Come listen to his Word at Bible study starting Feb 2 at 4pm until Mass at Balsam Lake! The Bible can be intimidating by itself to read, but together, with a study book, and led by Ben Rippe (Director of Religious Education) we will begin to understand it more clearly. The first book we will study is Ruth, a book about a strong and faithful woman who faces difficulty with great love and devotion. Come and learn more!

Extreme Faith Camp Informational Meeting Wed. Feb 3 at 6pm at SJ and 7:30 at OLL Extreme Faith Camp is an exciting weeklong summer camp all about having fun and growing in love with Jesus. Middle school-ers having completed their 6-8 grade are welcomed to par- ticipate. High school-ers having completed their 9-12 grade may serve as leaders. Adult chaperones are also needed. If you are interested in this event learn more as to cost, dead- lines, and fundraising opportunities at this meeting; it is before faith formation classes at 6 at St. Joe, and after classes at 7:30 at Our Lady of the Lakes.

Balsam Lake Hardware 907 Frontage Road Balsam Lake, WI 54810 Knights of Columbus 715-485-3267 Breakfast is coming up [email protected] Balsam Lake Hardware and Rental is your hometown on Sunday, February 7th hardware store that always offers service with a smile. following the 8:30am

Riteway Gravel Company OUR PLACE CAFÉ Jim London Fred & Jo Koslowski 1810 - 120th Street - Balsam Lake, WI 54810 1233 2nd Ave Cumberland, WI 54829 Hours Office: (715) 825-4213 Dresser Gravel Pit Breakfast Café Mobile: (612) 867-6356 (715) 755-3222 Mon - Fri 5:30am - 1:30pm & (715) 822-3462 Sat & Sun: Lunch Home 7:00am - 1:30pm Specials Daily (715) 825-3135

222 Harriman Ave N - Amery WI , 54001